Elon Baseball Adds Three to Incoming Class

ELON, N.C. – Elon University baseball coach Mike Kennedy has announced the addition of three junior college transfers to the Phoenix program. All three will be juniors for the upcoming 2016 season. Joining the team will be outfielder Jamal Clarke (Baltimore, Md. / Harford CC), outfielder Kyle Jackson (Atlanta, Ga. / Polk State College) and middle infielder CJ Young (Coatesville, Pa. / Harford CC).

Clarke (5’11”, 200 lbs.) began his career at St. John’s University where he was a first-team Big East All-Academic Team selection as a freshman. For Harford in 2015, Clarke hit .373 with 29 runs scored, 13 doubles, three triples and three homers. He drove in 28 and stole 10 bases in 32 games. In a victory over SUNY Adirondack, Clarke went 4-for-4, including a double and a triple, with three runs scored and five RBI. He also drove in five during a 3-for-5 performance in a victory over Chesapeake. A four-year letterwinner for coach Steve Miller at Archbishop Spalding High School, Clarke earned second-team all-county honors three times and was a preseason all-state selection as a senior. Clarke served as team captain for two years and was a 2012 honorable mention Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-Atlantic Region honoree. His performance helped his prep squad capture a state title during his junior campaign. Jamal is the son of Bob and Merlene Clarke.

Jackson (5’10”, 195 lbs.) played his freshman season at Coastal Carolina University. That season he hit .245 with six doubles, one triple, one home run and 12 runs scored in 39 games. He also drove in 10 runs. Jackson played his sophomore season at Polk State where he hit .291 with seven doubles, seven homers, 36 runs scored and 37 RBI. Jackson swiped 11 bases in 12 attempts in 2015. In a victory over Manatee-Sarasota, Jackson went 3-for-3 with two doubles, four runs scored and four RBI. His performance helped Polk State capture a 2015 conference crown. Jackson played his prep ball at Mount Pisgah Christian School for coach John O’Connor. Following a senior campaign in which he hit .405 with 14 RBI, Jackson earned first-team All-Region 6-A accolades. During his junior season he hit .319 with a .505 on-base percentage and 13 stolen bases. He was a second-team All-Region 5-A pick as a sophomore when he hit .366 with 12 steals. His prep team set a new program record for wins during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Kyle is the son of Travis and Michele Jackson.

Young (6’0″, 160 lbs.) hit .372 with 14 doubles, three home runs, 50 runs scored, 35 RBI and 15 stolen bases as a sophomore at Harford. He served as a team captain in 2015. As a freshman, Young hit .282 with a team-high 27 stolen bases in 55 games. He also scored 48 runs as the team won the Region XX title. Last year, he drove in four runs with a 2-for-5 day at the plate in a win over Cecil. Young played his prep ball at Coatesville Area High School for coach Harold Ziegler. During Young’s career, the program won the 2013 District I crown. Young was a first-team All-Chestmont honoree as a senior when he hit .433. CJ is the son of Dean and Kathy Young. His brother Tyler played baseball at the University of Louisville and was a seventh-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.